New Mexico Will Steal Your Heart

New Mexico is the first state that I have traveled to where it felt like I was in a totally different country. It is full of history, vibrant color, adobe homes, gorgeous landscapes, tons of art, the most delicious food, and some of the kindest people I have ever come across. This place surely felt like home!

If you are planning a trip to New Mexico and will be going through the Albuquerque and Santa Fe area, read on to discover places you cannot miss during your journey! I will share with you some of the best hikes, great places to have a meal, and must see’s along the way!

If you are traveling in the month of October that is when the Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Festival is, where they launch over 500 balloons! I have not yet attended the festival but I hear it is something you just cannot miss if you are traveling at that time!

I was lucky enough to travel during the winter time when the whole city was filled with holiday cheer and everyone was coming together to spend time with the community. I was not expecting so many holiday festivals, so I was definitely in for a treat!

Albuquerque

Things to Do in Albuquerque, New Mexico:

1) Visit the Petroglyph National Monument. This is a great place to walk around and view one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America. There is a visitor center here that provides a map of all the parks nearby where you can find petroglyphs. There is a hot air balloon launch nearby so you may catch balloons floating in the sky above you!

2) Spend time in Old Town. The Old Town of Albuquerque is a wonderful place to spend a large portion of your day. It is full of artisan shops, restaurants, museums, and tons of art!

*If you are traveling around Christmas time and would like to attend their holiday festivals, they are quite wonderful! The locals will cover the town in farolitos so when the sun sets the whole town lights up, they have a Christmas tree lighting, caroling, and all sorts of events going on - totally one of those magical Christmas towns!

Where to eat in Albuquerque:

1) The Jealous Fork - This is a phenomenal place if you are looking for a more casual place to grab a quick bite. You get to customize 3 enchiladas to your liking and oh boy are they good!

2) Sunnyside Up ABQ - A wonderful place to have breakfast/brunch with a diner style feel!

3) La Crepe Michel - The sweetest French bistro around. Try their crepes!

4) Blackbird Coffeehouse - The perfect little coffee shop to rest your legs and get your caffeine fix in!

Santa Fe

Hiking Around the Santa Fe Area:

1) Hike Through Bandelier National Monument. This has to be one of the coolest hikes I have gone on. Feel free to pick up a book in the visitors center to read and learn while you go on your self guided tour! You will be able to climb ladders into the cliff dwellings, spot petroglyphs and learn about the lives of the Pueblo Indians. If you are feeling super adventurous, you can take the longer loop which you will be required to climb four very tall ladders to get to the top of the cliffs and have a great view of the Frijoles Canyon.

2) Dale Balls Trail. This hike can be as long or as short as you want it. The hike spans for 22 miles through different loops and paths and offers many lookout points.

Things to Do in Santa Fe, New Mexico:

1) Get Lost in Meow Wolf. If you are traveling in the Santa Fe, Meow Wolf is a must see attraction. It is an immersive, interactive, insanely awesome art experience! You will walk through a house, go to the kitchen, walk through the fridge and end up in another world, you will slide down through a washing machine, walk through candy land, and be amazed at every moment. Along with the out of this world creative displays they include a story that you can find on their website before you go. The story fills you in on a mystery that needs to be solved in the house. You are fully free with no time crunch to scavenge through the drawers and closets, snoop through their diaries and photo albums, go through the portals in order to solve it! I won't spoil anything else, you will have to just discover the rest on your own!

2) Shop at the Santa Fe Plaza. The city square is a great place to go souvenir shopping, try cool restaurants, listen to live music, meet the community at events, and see how colorful Santa Fe is!

*Once again if you are traveling during the holiday season, Santa Fe has some lovely celebrations as well!

3) Check out Canyon Road. Spend some time walking in and out of art galleries and wandering endlessly through all of the sculpture gardens. When you are finished and worked up an appetite, head over to the Kawaka Chocolate House. They offer all sorts of chocolates, ice cream, and cocoas - including chili flavored!

Where to Eat in Santa Fe:

1) Tea House - While you are taking in all the art Canyon Road has to offer you will need a lunch break, check out Tea House! This place has a wide variety of all different teas and a creative and most certainly delicious menu of food!

2) Annapurna's World Vegetarian Cafe - My favorite Indian restaurant in the USA. Annapurna's offers a laid back vibe and a large variety of Aryuvedic meals.

3) Sprouts Farmers Market - An awesome grocery store if you are looking to cook on your own.

4) The Plaza Cafe - Located in the Santa Fe Plaza, this is a popular restaurant that is usually very busy most nights.

5) The Pantry - A locals spot for breakfast and brunch.

6) Tomasitas - A nice spot to have dinner in the Railyard Arts District.

7) Iconik Coffee Roasters - Located near Santa Fe Plaza, this trendy coffee shop/book store is a great place to sip some coffee and have a good read or people watch.